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SoundGround >> $119 Squire Tele Mod Project
| 6/29/11 1:21 PM | |
goodandevil
Member Since: 9/13/02 Posts: 7826 |
This will be my first mod project, looking for input. I picked up a new Squire HH Tele in a burst finish. The bridge in not string through, the pups are alright, neck and body are fine, switch and pots are junk, and the tuners are ok. So far I am thinking of either putting a classic tele bridge on, drilling holes to make it string through, or maybe a bigsby. I also want to replace the pups, keeping a humbucker in the bridge and getting a new pickguard and single coil for the neck. I also want to reverse the switch/pot plate as I keep hitting the switch when I play. Any other thoughts, suggestions, or calling me an idiot for buying it in the first place, are appreciated. |
| 6/30/11 6:18 PM | |
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goodandevil
Member Since: 9/13/02 Posts: 7833 |
I am going to look at pickups today. |
| 6/30/11 10:02 PM | |
|
goodandevil
Member Since: 9/13/02 Posts: 7836 |
I am going with a fender Tele vintage in the bridge, and a musicians gear single coil pickguard. For the bridge I am just gonna get the best humbucker musicgoround has at the time. Next will be to reverse the switch plate and replacing the pots. I am gonna get a push/pull pot to split the humbucker. Thoughts? |
| 7/1/11 6:25 PM | |
Demitrius Barbito
40 
Member Since: 1/1/01 Posts: 2073 |
Interesting... |
| 7/2/11 1:31 PM | |
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goodandevil
Member Since: 9/13/02 Posts: 7837 |
So, I put the vintage noiseless tele in the bridge, I went with a Seymour Duncan SH-2 in the bridge. I flipped the switch plate, but got to drunk/stoned to install the push/pull pot. I wired the tele pickup backwards at first, had to redo it. I got the pups for $40, both, used. Single coil pickguard, free, used. Push/pull pot was $8, new, Allparts. For my first mod, I am fairly pleased at this point. I still have somethings to deal with, like the string through, bridge, and pots, but so far so good. |
| 7/3/11 8:40 PM | |
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goodandevil
Edited: 07/03/11 10:15 PM Member Since: 9/13/02 Posts: 7844 |
. |
| 7/4/11 3:17 PM | |
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Racer X
11
Member Since: 5/17/01 Posts: 22782 |
Drilling for the string through can be a pain in the ass. Grain hardness changes can mke your drill bit wander and produce a crooked line of ferrules(the string sockets that go on the back). My best advice is mount the bridge and drill using it as a template. Gotta use a drill press to keep it all square. If you don't have one, find a machine shop that does and bribe the right person with beer. Also, use the largest drill that will pass through the bridge and run it FAST. this will reduce the degree of wander you get from the front of the guitar to the back. You confuse me, though. Where are you putting the SH-2 if you are putting a Tele noiseless in the bridge? Make sure you get a 500k volume pot with those pickups. A 250k pot will choke out some of your output by inadvertantly bleeding it to ground, Sort of like having a too low pressure pop off valve on a turbo set up. |
| 7/4/11 4:39 PM | |
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goodandevil
Member Since: 9/13/02 Posts: 7845 |
Thanks for the advice Racer. I am going to use a drill press for sure. I put the SH-2 in the bridge. I got them as a package deal. I feel like there is something I do not know that you do about this pickup. Please enlighten me. I had no idea about the 250k pot vs. a 500k, thanks for the heads up. What about the tone pot, that is the one I am going to use to split the humbucker. I already bought a 250k push/pull tone pt, but I need to go buy the 500k volume and can switch it out. Thanks again. |
| 7/4/11 11:55 PM | |
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Racer X
11
Member Since: 5/17/01 Posts: 22795 |
250K will do as a tone pot since most of the time it will be at 10 I was confused because you said you put a vintage Tele Noiseless in the bridge and an SH-2 in the bridge. Wasn't quite sure how you managed that. ;) |
| 7/6/11 3:32 PM | |
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whaledog
11
Edited: 07/07/11 9:49 AM Member Since: 1/1/01 Posts: 6863 |
Racer X - Drilling for the string through can be a pain in the ass. I've never drilled ferrules, but this technique looks pretty cool: http://www.tdpri.com/forum/tele-home-depot/97436-%2A%2Ahmmm-think-ill-build-thinline-%2A%2A.html#post1106586 |
| 7/7/11 9:18 AM | |
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Racer X
11
Edited: 07/07/11 1:23 PM Member Since: 5/17/01 Posts: 22796 |
Nice, Whaledog! I'm going to make that jig for my next ferrule install. It's great how effective a simple idea can be. tdpri.com is freakin' awesome for leaning tricks like that. There is a guy there screenname preeb who builds amazing reproductions and custom guitars. Look for his threads if you want to see some great builds. |
| 7/7/11 1:22 PM | |
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whaledog
11
Member Since: 1/1/01 Posts: 6865 |
Racer X - Nice, Whaledog! I'm going to make that jig for my next ferrule install.I wonder if you would get similar results by attaching a body template with the ferulle holes to the front and then the back of the body. It seems to me that it should line up pretty accurately. |
| 7/7/11 7:17 PM | |
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goodandevil
Member Since: 9/13/02 Posts: 7861 |
Cool, thanks guys. |
| 7/10/11 11:50 AM | |
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Racer X
11
Member Since: 5/17/01 Posts: 22799 |
whaledog -Racer X - Nice, Whaledog! I'm going to make that jig for my next ferrule install.I wonder if you would get similar results by attaching a body template with the ferulle holes to the front and then the back of the body. It seems to me that it should line up pretty accurately. True, but the upside to this method is it's versatility. it can do a string thru behind the bridge Schecter style just as easily. |
| 7/10/11 3:54 PM | |
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Racer X
11
Member Since: 5/17/01 Posts: 22800 |
goodandevil - Cool, thanks guys.Dammit! You're not getting away that easy. Now, explain this statement: "So, I put the vintage noiseless tele in the bridge, I went with a Seymour Duncan SH-2 in the bridge. I flipped the switch plate, but got to drunk/stoned to install the push/pull pot. " You can't have both pickups in the bridge position. Which did you do? |
| 7/12/11 2:06 PM | |
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goodandevil
Member Since: 9/13/02 Posts: 7875 |
LOL, drunk posting is never a good idea. I put the noiseless in the neck position and the humbucker in the bridge. The guitar came with two humbuckers. So, the routing is there, I just got a used pickguard to hold the single coil noiseless. |
| 7/13/11 12:36 AM | |
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Racer X
11
Member Since: 5/17/01 Posts: 22801 |
Gotcha! Now I can sleep. |
| 7/17/11 3:05 PM | |
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goodandevil
Member Since: 9/13/02 Posts: 7890 |
Hey, thanks for the interest. Racer I do have question, the humbucker is spaced for a gibson bridge, so the pole pieces are a little off. While this drives me crazy visually, does it effect the sound? Thanks, G&E |
| 7/17/11 7:50 PM | |
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Racer X
11
Member Since: 5/17/01 Posts: 22802 |
The cleaner you play (amp setting-wise) the greater dynamic differeces you'll likely hear. At higher gain subtle differences in string to string output will be less noticeable. I'd say set your amp for the cleanest tone you are going to use and compare string volume. If it's an issue the SH-2 is available in wider spacing, called a Trembucker in Seymourese. By the way, that is why Eddie Van Halen angled the humbucker on his original strat style guitar. He wanted at least one pole directly under each E string. |
| 7/17/11 9:46 PM | |
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goodandevil
Member Since: 9/13/02 Posts: 7891 |
Thanks for the advice. I play this guitar clean only, through a little 5 watt tube amp. Interestingly, the humbucker is louder than the noiseless lipstick with the humbucker set a little lower. Thanks for the advice, |
| 7/17/11 9:47 PM | |
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goodandevil
Member Since: 9/13/02 Posts: 7892 |
Neat factoid about Eddie VH. Thanks. |
| 7/17/11 11:02 PM | |
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Racer X
11
Member Since: 5/17/01 Posts: 22803 |
As long as the volume balance from string to string pleases you, it's fine. You can fine tune a bit by raising pole pieces on the adjustable coil. Just don't adjust them below the top of the coil, you lose output. |
| 7/18/11 1:22 AM | |
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goodandevil
Member Since: 9/13/02 Posts: 7893 |
I am pleased, my ear is not sophisticated enough to hear much difference in subtleties. |
| 7/25/11 11:54 PM | |
|
Invisible Lats Syndrome
Member Since: 5/16/08 Posts: 13131 |
I got an Chinese made squier Strat and I've though of doing something similar, but I think I'll just give it away to someone who wants it to learn on. |
| 7/27/11 6:53 PM | |
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goodandevil
Member Since: 9/13/02 Posts: 7911 |
I like to tinker, but I don't know what I am doing. So, instead of messing up my 'good' guitar I bought this one just to fuck with. If I mess it up, no tears. |
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